Napa Valley, California
Alcohol 14.5 %
Bought: 2015-09-17 at Safeway
Price (w/o TAX 8.25 %): $ 22.49 ($ 39.99)
Tasted: 2015-09-20 & 2015-09-21
Ratings: -
A good selection for an NFL gameday with friends: 2012 Raymond Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Selection
Medium-deep cherry red. Stewed black fruits, a little bit bacon, forest floor with fallen branches covered in moss. Already well-developed. Very fruity with a special smoky aroma. Strong, pleasant and cajoling.
Since 2009 Raymond Vineyards is part of the French Boisset Family Estates (like Buena Vista and DeLoach). The Reserve Selection series is a classical brand for grocery stores or similar. You can't buy these wines in the online shop of the winery. This is a typical way wineries with good reputation go these days when owned by groups (cf. Robert Mondavi).
Usually I don't like these wines produced for the masses. Very rarely I can find in these wines something like a soul. However the 2012 Reserve Selection Cab is a good choice if you are looking for good Cab for a fair price (only the reduced one; the original Safeway price is far away from reality). You should drink it now or in the next two years. No decanting. Simply open the bottle for a nice Sunday NFL gameday BBQ. On the second day the wine was not any longer on the same level as directly after opening.